The London Paralympics opening ceremony was a year ago this week. Photograph: Chris Jackson/Getty Images

London 2012 was special and the Paralympics came of age. On a personal level, it was simply phenomenal. I had gone into the Games a double gold and silver medallist from Beijing so I knew I was capable of winning gold again but I wanted to slip under the radar in the buildup, so I could focus on my training and let the results do the talking.

When the competition arrived I thrived at the prospect of competing in front of 10,000 people and have fond memories in particular of my third medal event. The crowd had been asked to wave instead of clapping so as not to scare the horses but by then we all knew that my horse and I would be fine and, as I left the arena having finished my test, my brother and two cousins shouted: "We love you Sophie!" and the whole crowd erupted. The thought of it still makes me emotional.

Thursday marks the first anniversary of the opening ceremony and even after a year I am still not used to being recognised in the street. People come up to me and say: "Well done, you really made our year last year." It's still an unexpected novelty and not only by people who follow equestrianism. The whole of Britain got behind ParalympicsGB – it was brilliant and it is still ongoing. I find people are much more comfortable talking to me about disability and that is really good. Kids are not afraid to come and talk to me, whereas five or 10 years ago, they would not have done.

However, I do think there remains a huge gap between how Paralympians are perceived and how the rest of the disabled community is seen. A lot of disabilities are not represented in the Games and, while the public may assume they understand disability because of the Games, they do not see the everyday lives of disabled people behind the scenes. The Paralympics were a glamorous show but it is important to highlight what it is like to be severely disabled. Most Paralympians want to focus on their sporting prowess but in order to make the most of the Games' legacy more focus must be put on teaching people about disability.

Even for me, there are still basic issues – for instance, it is assumed that because I am at the top of my sport and won three gold medals my life is sorted out but I still have problems receiving the right care I need for cerebral palsy – I still have to raise money to pay for carers and have trouble finding them.

It is no easy task. The perception of disability in Britain has changed but during the Paralympics, Britain was at an all-time high, there was complete euphoria about being British and about disability but a year on it has gone downhill and slid back into how people can be – moaning about pretty much anything.

That was always going to happen but the key is finding a way of maintaining that interest between the Games. More Paralympic sport in the media is one obvious step.

People tweet me to ask why the European Championships, where I am currently competing, are not being broadcast. Channel 4 recently covered the athletics and swimming but their focus is on the more popular sports. From what I understand, the general public cannot get enough Paralympic sport. They really want to watch and follow the results and it is up to the media to support that eagerness.

The way forward, then, is to exploit the steps forward the London Games made by getting stories about disability out there. I do a lot of work with the government and they are building a database of disabled role models, which will offer people the chance to change their perceptions of all kinds of disabilities and also give disabled people inspiration – so they can identify with role models and go on to fulfil their potential.

There is no doubt Paralympic sport has grown over the 12 years since my first games in Athens in 2004 – as a competitor it is tougher and tougher to stay at the top – but back then, aged 16, I was quite shy and self-conscious of my disability. Then I saw all these amazing disabled people just getting on with their lives and it really brought me out of myself. Ever since I have wanted to change people'sperceptions just by being me. I hope I have and the sport can continue to do the same.